I was born, raised, and continued to reside on Chicago’s Westside. I am an active Westside community advocate. A former government employee, Athena is an active advocate throughout the city and greater chicagoland area. Athena has served with the Westside Minister’s Coalition since 2000. Previously as community liaison for Building a Healthier Chicago, Athena developed and implemented the first 5k walk program through an underserved community. In addition, Athena worked to collaborate and bring many new resources into underserved communities. While volunteering at the Westside Minister’s Coalition, Athena served as Community Outreach Specialist, Education Committee Chair, Health Committee Co-Chair, and before her leave in 2012, as Fund Developer. In 2010, Athena founded Performing Community Solutions, an organization whose mission is to improve, empower, and educate, community residents with access of healthy living, continued education, with the integration of collaboration of private and public partnerships. Athena is a widowed-single parent of one child being educated in a Chicago Public School. Athena is a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison with many financial education and housing certifications.